Other side of the story
by incendiers
Summary: "Why do you care so much Peeta? She doesn't even know you exist."  My take on Peeta's perspective of The Hunger Games.
1. Beginning of the end

_**Hey, this is my first fic, so yeah. Hope you enjoy it.**_

_**I have no beta, so please excuse all grammatical errors. And english isn't my first language, so please forgive any lapses in my grammar.**_

_**Disclaimer:**_

_**I am not Suzanne Collins, I do not own any of the characters, though I wish I did own Peeta. Sigh**_

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_"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" _

Numerous heads snap up as we look at the commotion near the stage. An olive-skinned girl shouting, pushing a younger girl behind her. Protecting her.

_It's her. It's the girl._

"What's your name?" Effie Trinket says, seeming to enjoy the closest thing to entertainment this district has offered in the last few years.

"Katniss Everdeen."

_Why do you care so much Peeta? She doesn't even know you exist. Except, maybe during that rainy afternoon._

_She wouldn't remember that. She would've forgotten about that. You should have too._

I bring back my attention to Effie. Her clothes are a shocking pink, which hurts my eyes. A stark contrast from the bleak gray of our district.

"It's time to choose our boy tribute."

Obviously, I hope I won't be chosen. But luck can only go so far. If a twelve-year-old was chosen, who's to say a sixteen year old has a better chance?

But there's a part of me, hoping to be chosen, hoping to get the chance to know her. To protect that girl. _Not that she needed it._

Effie holds the slip and reads it.

"Peeta Mellark."

_This can't be happening. _

I hope that this is all a dream. I force myself to wake up from this nightmare.

But I don't. Because this is the harsh reality.

_Don't you dare cry, Peeta. Don't show you're weak. She could do it. Why can't you do the same?_

_But you wanted to be here right? A small part of you wanted to be here. For her._

I walk up to the stage, trying my best to stay steady, even though I could feel that my knees were weak.

Effie asks for volunteers. My brothers would never stand up for me. Blood ties can only go so far in this world.

I stare at the girl beside me, standing straight, holding back the tears and emotions, putting a strong facade, hiding all the sadness and fear anyone chosen as a tribute would feel.

_I wonder what she's thinking about._

_Probably her sister, her family, herself. Definitely not about you._

The mayor motions for us to shake hands. I smile at her, although it might have come across as a grimace. I squeeze her hand, wanting to reassure her that it would be okay. Everything would be okay. But I knew, everyone knew, The odds would never be in our favor.

—

"Peeta?"

I heard my father come in and I began to cry hysterically.

"I believe in you Peeta. You can survive this." My father said while rubbing my back, although he didn't sound too sure. God knows I wasn't either.

"Maybe we could have a winner from District 12 this year." I heard my mother say to my brothers outside. "She's a survivor, that one. She'll outlive them all." I knew it. She wasn't talking about me. She was talking about her. But she was right about her. She's a fighter. Maybe she could win this. She needs to win for her family. They needed her. People from The Seam needed her. I needed her to live. _Where did that come from?_

I took a deep breath and calmed down.

"Father, could I ask for a favor? I know I might not come back-"

"Peeta, don't think like that." My father chastised me, but I knew that deep inside, he knew that too.

"Keep Katniss' sister alive. You love her goat's cheese." I said, trying to lighten the mood." Tell Katniss you'll do this, so she'll have less to worry about. "

" I will, Peeta. Don't you worry about a thing. Focus on yourself. Try and win this alright?" I heard my father nearly choking on his words, fighting back the tears.

The peacekeepers were here, waiting for us to finish.

"Yes. I'll try. And give these to her please." I gave him cookies, wrapped in paper. I knew how much she loved them. When we were younger, during lunch breaks in school, Madge would share cookies with her and Katniss would smile like she had just gotten the most precious thing in the world. She'll love them.

At least, I hope she did.

We finished saying our goodbyes and I love yous, and we walked through the entrance of the building, making our way to the train station.

_This is it. This is the beginning of the end._

—

_**So, thoughts? Reviews would be nice. This is the first chapter, and I'll update soon enough:)  
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	2. Dreams and Dandelions

**Thanks for the favorites and alerts you guys. It means a lot**

**And thank you for the reviews! I'll keep those suggestions in mind. :)  
><strong>**I made some minor edits to the first chapter.**

**Disclaimer: *insert witty remark about me not being Suzanne Collins and not owning the THG franchise ***

**Oh there is some mild swearing in this fanfic, but this is rated T anyway, so it's excusable. Hopefully.**

**And all grammatical errors are mine.  
><strong>

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><p>We were just about to finish our dinner. I was surprised by how smoothly the train was operating, but this was the Capitol after all, so we wouldn't expect any less about the services they offered.<p>

_Treating us like royalty before slaughtering us for their entertainment._

After dinner, we went to another compartment and watched the reapings of the other district. What struck me the most was a girl, although dark skinned, who resembled Katniss' sister.

_Poor girl. No one would risk their life for her._

I looked at Katniss, who looked a bit pale. She was probably thinking about how the girl reminded her of her sister, how she felt sorry for the girl, and how her sister would've ended up like that girl had she not volunteered.

At last, District 12's reaping was shown. It showed Prim being called and Katniss volunteering, desperate to keep her safe.

The silence of the crowd. Haymitch making a fool of himself as usual because of his drunkenness. And then it showed me being called, while I tried to make it to the stage as quietly and calmly as a tribute could be. It showed me and Katniss shaking hands, the anthem plays and the program ends.

I stretch my arms after that extremely long program, Haymitch excuses himself, probably to get more alcohol, and Effie murmurs something about her wig.

"Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation. A lot about televised behavior."

A laugh escaped from my lips. " He was drunk. He's drunk every year."

"Every day." Katniss added, a smirk on her face.

"Yes. How odd you two find this amusing. Haymitch is your lifeline to the world in these games. He can well be the difference between your life and death!"

As if on cue, Haymitch staggers back into the room, slurring unintelligibly, then vomits on the floor.

Effie leaves the room, and Katniss and I were left to fix the mess our "mentor" made. She and I help Haymitch to his feet and bring him to his room. We clean him up, but I see Katniss looking repulsed at the sight of Haymitch, so I offer to clean him up myself. After she left the room, Haymitch begins to say something.

"You like her don't you."

"What are you talking about?"

"You look at her all lovey dovey,it's sickening. She doesn't need you."

"You're delusional. And drunk. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Are you sure about that bread boy?"

I remained silent, resisting the urge to punch him in the face. After all, he _was _my lifeline in the arena. A punch would probably increase my chances of dying on day one.

After I finished cleaning up Haymitch, I left his compartment and made my way to my own.

I slipped under the sheets, but I was still disturbed by what Haymitch said.

_You know he's right Peeta. She doesn't need you._

I stand up again and look outside the window, trying to calm myself down.

I don't know why I was so frustrated. Was it because I couldn't hold back my feelings for the girl I've watched go home for years,The girl I wanted to take care of, The girl that would be my competitor, The girl that would probably be the death of me? Or was it because I knew that she didn't feel that way about me, and probably never would. She'd probably end up with that Hawthorne boy she hangs out with.

_Where the fuck was this jealousy coming from?_

I don't know how long I stood by the window. I snapped out of my thoughts when the train stopped and when I heard something drop outside. I peered outside the window and I saw a white packet filled with cookies. The same one I asked my father to give to Katniss.

_What was that all about?_

The packet landed in a patch of dandelions.

_Dandelions._

I remembered that day. The day after that rainy afternoon. We were at school and my face was bruised due to the comsequences of the burnt bread. I passed it off as a trophy from a wrestling match with my brothers. I never regretted giving her the bread though. _For all I know, it could have saved her life._

She was across the school yard. I looked at her while she bent to pick up something. A dandelion. _What's she doing with that weed?_

I stared at her as she left with her sister to go home. Watching her go home has become a habit of mine.I try to be as discreet as possible, hoping to avoid confrontation.

Come to think of it, she was like a dandelion. What people from the town thought of people from the Seam, as lowly, foul beings, Katniss stood out, in my eyes at least. She was a dandelion among the weeds. Something beautiful.

_Mother would never accept her._

In that moment, I realized, I didn't care. Not what the townspeople thought. Not what my friends thought. Not what my family thought. I just wanted to make her mine.

I went back to bed and laid down. I slept, imagining I was laid in a meadow filled with dandelions. Beside me was the girl I've watched go home, laying blissfully in my arms. We talked and laughed and shared details about our lives, as if we had forever to be together.

_But that's not the case now is it, Mellark? You're a few hours closer to your death._

That abruptly ended my dream, leaving me with a terrifying nightmare, the same one I've had ever since the reaping. The same one I had when I saw a younger Katniss Everdeen outside our house, shivering in the rain.

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><p>The next day, we had breakfast. At least, Katniss and I were eating. Haymitch was drinking . <em>It's a miracle he's still able to walk on his feet.<em>

"So you're supposed to give us advice." Katniss says to Haymitch.

"Here's some advice. Stay alive, sweetheart." Haymitch says, then bursts out laughing.

I clench my fists, fuming with anger. _Our lives are on the line, and he has the nerve to drink all day and laugh? Bastard._

"That's very funny." I laugh dryly. Before anyone could react, I lash at the glass in Haymitch's hand, and it shatters on the floor."Only not to us."

Haymitch stares at me in disbelief, then his fist connects to my jaw, knocking me off my chair.

_What a way to start the day Mellark._

I stand up, and I see Katniss driving a knife between his fingers.

"That is Mahogany!" Effie shouts from the table beside us.

"Well, what's this? Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?" says Haymitch.

"Stand over here. Both of you." Haymitch tells us. We stand in the middle of the room as Haymitch observes us.

"Well you're not entirely hopeless. Once the stylists get hold of you, you'll be attractive enough."

_She doesn't need a stylist. Look at her. She looks like she'll hunt everyone down. And here I am, a sad excuse for a fighter._

_I wonder how long I'd last in the arena._

"All right, I'll make a deal with you. You don't interfere with my drinking, and I'll stay sober enough to help you. But you have to do exactly as I say."

"Fine." I say. At least we have a chance to actually survive the first survived the arena. He can't be _that _bad, can he?

Haymitch starts to tell us to do whatever the stylists wants us to do, and Katniss looked skeptical about it.

After that, Haymitch leaves the car, leaving us to stare at the darkness outside. We were inside the tunnel, and in a few more minutes, we would be at the Capitol. We stand in silence, nervously anticipating what's about to come.

Bright lights begin to flood the compartment, and I see people wearing odd hairstyles and too bright colors that it hurt my eyes.

Katniss turns away from the window, while I smile and wave at them. She's staring at me in disbelief, but all I did was shrug. "Who knows? One of them may be rich."

I disregard the fact that they just want us tributes to kill each other for their entertainment.

_Smile for them Peeta. They could save your life. They could save your lives.  
><em>

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><p><strong>Thoughts, please? :)<strong>

**More reviews = faster update.**

**It inspires me. loljk**

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	3. The Girl and Boy on fire

I have the feeling that I update too soon omg. I'm bored at home so I keep on writing. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing lol

Disclaimer: I am not Suzanne Collins, hence the bad writing and the lack of keeping Peeta in character. I do not own The Hunger Games (both the book and movie)

All Grammatical errors are mine, as always. Also, please tell me about any formatting mistakes. I am only updating via ipod, so I have to html code this myself omg

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><p>"You look wonderful, Peeta."<br>I look at Portia, the stylist assigned to me. She seems normal, compared to the typical eccentric people from the Capitol . The only thing different about her is her bright yellow hair, that when light hits it, it's streaked with orange and red highlights, because according to her it's her way to show she's proud to be a stylist of District 12.

I am wearing a black unitard, with a cape made of streams of orange, yellow and red. It was definitely different and better from the past outfits of former tributes, who were wearing next to nothing.

"You'll be on fire later." Portia says, grinning widely. I wonder if she means that figuratively or literally. Either way, I'm scared for what's to come.

We meet up with Katniss, wearing a similar outfit to mine, and her stylist, Cinna. I look at her, and she looks dazzling. She always does. The Capitol people would love her, because god knows I do.

_What am I even saying? _

I snap out of my thoughts as we are directed into our chariots. Portia and Cinna arrange us and our outfits before they move off to consult with each other.

"What do you think? About the fire?" Katniss whispers to me.

"I'll rip off your cape if you'll rip off mine." I say through gritted teeth. I'll be toast before the games even start. "Where is Haymitch, anyway? Isn't he supposed to protect us from this sort of thing?"

"With all that alcohol in him, he'd probably burst into flames before we do." she says. Suddenly we both burst into laughter.  
><em>This is how it should be. Me and her, not having to worry about a thing.<em>

The tributes from district 11 pass through the gates, and we were the only pair left. Cinna suddenly sets our capes on fire, letting out a huge sigh of relief. "It works."

I look at Katniss, and she looks like a meteor fallen from the skies. Absolutely stunning.

Our chariot suddenly begins to move. As we start to pass through the gates, and the crowd goes wild as they see us.

Cinna shouts something. " Do something they'll never forget." He clasps his hands together.

"What's he saying?" Katniss asks me.

" I think he's telling us to hold hands." I say as I reach out to take her hand into mine. She abruptly pulls away, staring at me like I was crazy. "Come on, they'll love it." I say as I motion to the crowd.

This time, she grasps my hand firmly, and she waves to the crowd, blowing kisses to the crowd, smiling. The crowd goes wild over her, the girl on fire.

_Hey, I'm on fire too._

I look at the screen and see us, the girl and boy from District 12, leaving a trail of fire behind our backs. We would be unforgettable.

Eventually, Katniss loosens her grasp me on me, but I held on to her tightly, not wanting to let her go. " No, Don't let go of me. Please. I might fall out of this thing," I pleaded. Part of me was scared to finally let go, because I knew this would be one of the last chances I'd have to be this close to her. Who knows what will happen once we enter the arena? _Who knows if we'll even come out of the arena alive?_

The chariots come to a stop inside the city circle. President Snow gives a speech, the same speech he gives every year, about the honor of being a tribute, and remembering the sacrifice former tributes have made.

As the chariots begin to exit the city circle, the camera cut to each pair of tributes, but they holds on to our chariot, filled with firelight flickering in the night.

We enter the training center and Cinna and Portia effectively put out the flames. Katniss lets go of my hand, and I instantly miss the warmth of her hand in mine.

"Thanks for keeping hold of me. I was getting a little shaky there," I say to Katniss.

"It didn't show. I'm sure no one noticed."

"I'm sure they didn't notice anything but you. You should wear flames more often. They suit you."  
>I smile at her. She looks at me, judging my words carefully, seeking the truthfulness behind them.<br>She tiptoes towards me, and kisses my bruise, leaving me with this overwhelming bittersweet feeling.

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><p>"You're shivering." I remove my jacket and I wrap it around her shoulders. <em> I'm sure you can handle a little wind, Peeta.<em>

She was telling me about her encounter with the red-headed avox.

"They were from here?"

She nods. "I don't know where they were going though. Or why they would leave here."

"I'd leave here." I blurt out accidentally. _ Shit, did I say that out loud?_

I cover it up with a laugh. " I'd go home now if they let me." The Capitol was probably recording our every move. I tried to cover up my words, acting like another typical scared tribute.

"It's getting chilly. We better go in." We go inside, and I try to keep the conversation going. "Your friend Gale. He was the one who took your sister away during the reaping?"

"Yes. Do you know him?"

"Not really. Girls talk about him a lot though. I thought he was your cousin or something. You favor each other." I point out, trying to keep my voice straight, hoping my voice doesn't come across as possessive or jealous. _She was never yours Peeta. She never will be._

"No, we're not related." Her tone comes across a bit harsher than before.  
>I simply nod at her answer, avoiding the possibility that she might kill me even before we step into the arena.<br>"Did he come to say goodbye to you?" _Why are you so affected by this? By her?_

"Yes." She looks at me carefully, probably wondering why I was so curious about her. "So did your father. He brought me cookies."  
>I raise my eyebrows. I didn't know how to respond to that.<br>_Oh yes, the cookies I baked and asked him to give to you because you loved them so much when you were little. Those cookies are now by some dandelion patch because you threw them outside the window of the train because of god knows what reason._

"Really? Well he likes you and your sister. I think he wished he had a daughter instead of a houseful of boys."

She keeps quiet, as if she was deep in thought.

"He knew your mother from when they were kids."

She looks at me in surprise, but then composes herself almost immediately. " Oh, yes. She grew up in town."

We continue to walk until we reach her bedroom door. "See you in the morning then," she says.

"See you."

I walk to my room, and change into my night clothes. The room was a bit too warm for my taste, so I took off my shirt. I slipped under the sheets, staring at the blackness in front of me. The events of this day seemed so surreal. Her standing beside me, holding my hand. Us talking on the rooftop, sharing secrets like old friends. I think about those things, eventually drifting off to a dreamless slumber.

-  
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>Reviews are very much appreciated, because it lets me know what you think about the story, if you like it, or if I should just do everyone a favor and discontinue it. Your opinion counts. Okay, I'm just being overdramatic lol<br>I couldn't help but add certain stuff from the movie and some tumblr stuff because I'm weird like that.  
>That's all.<br> 


	4. New Developments

**Just a warning that what I wrote below doesn't really follow the book exactly. I just kind of edited some of the scenes, but the story's pretty much the same :)  
>Also I have no idea for a name for this new chapter lol <strong>

**Umm, wow. 1,200+ hits to this story in 5 days. That's kind of overwhelming for me, being a newbie in writing fanfic and all. Thank you for giving this story a chance :)**

**Although I hope you'd leave reviews, I'd love to hear your comments!**

**Disclaimer: I am not Suzanne Collins, I don't own the THG franchise.**

**All grammatical errors are mine.  
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><p>I wake up, startled. I look around the darkness surrounding me. <em>There's no one here, Peeta. Maybe it was just your imagination.<em>

But it wasn't. I heard muffled screams from the room beside mine. _Katniss._

I stood up and went to her room, slowly opening the door so as not to wake her. She was squirming on her bed, saying the names of her family members._She's having a nightmare._

I sit beside her on her bed, stroking her hair gently. "Ssh, It's alright. You're safe here." _For now, at least. _"I'm here, Katniss. I won't leave you."

She seems to calm down and relaxes on her bed. I plant a gentle kiss on her forehead and make my way back to my own bedroom.

After Katniss' episode last night, I was able to get a few more hours of sleep. I had to treasure every moment of rest I had, knowing that in the following nights, I'd probably have trouble sleeping, knowing that my death was approaching, and knowing that I'd probably have to turn into some cold, heartless, bloodthirsty murderer just to survive. _I won't fall for the Capitol's trap. I won't allow it._

I got out of bed, I washed up, and wore an outfit that was left for me at the front of the closet. I went down to the dining room and see Katniss dipping rolls in hot chocolate, like we did in the train.

"Good morning, Katniss."

Katniss looked infuriated with me. _Was she mad about what I did last night? How did she even know about that? _

I start to open my mouth, but she eyes me up and down. I realize we were wearing matching clothes. She never did like being presented as being close to me. I sit down beside her in relief.

We eat in silence, and Haymitch drinks from his flask. He breaks the silence between the people eating.

"So, let's get down to business. Training. First off, if you like, I'll coach you separately."

"Why would you coach us separately?" Katniss asks.

"Say if you had a secret skill you might not want the other to know about."

Katniss and I exchange looks. "I don't have any secret skills." I say. _I doubt baking and frosting are going to kill any of my opponents. _"And I already know what yours is, right? I mean, I've eaten enough of your squirrels."

"You can coach us together," Katniss tells Haymitch.

"All right. So, give me some idea of what you can do." Haymitch says, nodding.

"I can't do anything. I doubt baking bread is going to be much help in the arena," I say.

"How about you, Katniss? I already know you're handy with a knife," says Haymitch.

"Not really. But I can a bow and arrow."

"And you're good?"

"I'm all right."

"More than all right. She's excellent. My father buys her squirrels. She hits every one in the eye. She can even bring down deer." I break in.

"What are you doing?" She asks me suspiciously.

"What are _you _doing?" My voice raises in disbelief. " If he's going to help you, he has to know what you're capable of. Don't underrate yourself."

"What about you? You can lift hundred-pound bags of flour. That's not nothing." She snaps at me.

"Yes, and I'm sure the arena will be full of bags of flour for me to chuck at people." I say bitterly. "It's not like being able to use a weapon. You know it isn't."

Katniss looks at Haymitch." He can wrestle. He came in second in our school competition last year, only after his brother."

"What use is that? How many times have you seen someone wrestle someone to death?" I say in disgust. I pinch the bridge of my nose. She was making me seem like a much better fighter than I really was. I could barely match up to the bulky male tributes, or even the stealthy female tributes. I was nothing. Just another piece in the Capitol's games.

"There's always hand-to-hand combat. All you need is to come up with a knife, and you'll at least stand a chance. If I get jumped, I'm dead!" Katniss shouts, anger evident in her voice.

"But you won't! You'll be living up in some tree eating wild animals and picking off people with arrows. When my family came to say goodbye, My mother came to me, as if to cheer me up, and told me that maybe District 12 will finally have a winner. Then I realized, she didn't mean me, she meant you!" I burst out.  
>I never meant my words to come across as blaming her, but my mother always made me feel weak, defenseless, small. As if I'd never amount to anything. All the frustration I've felt over the years just came pouring out of my mouth.<p>

Katniss looked at me, dumbfounded. "You know what, I lost my appetite. Excuse me." I said, standing up and making my way to my room.

I sat on my bed for what felt like hours, staring at the window, changing the picture every now and then. I heard the door creak open behind me.

"Hey Peeta. Can I come in?"

"Of course, Katniss."

" I'm sorry. I-I didn't know you felt like that."

"It's okay. I didn't mean to burst out at you. That was completely- " Katniss cuts me off.

"It's not like I never snapped at you like that.I can handle a little drama, Peeta." She laughs softly.

" I'm sure you can." I say, smiling at her. "You know what my mom said? 'She's a survivor, That one.' "

She was quiet for a minute. Then, she looked at me, staring into my eyes, and said "But only because someone helped me."

Then it hits me. _She remembers that afternoon. She remembers everything. _

Katniss looks away, blushing. She avoids my gaze, tracing circles on the bedsheet with her fingers.

" People will help you in the arena. They'll be tripping over each other to sponsor you."

" No more than you," she says.

I face her, staring her straight in the eye.

"You have no idea, do you? The effect you can have."

She opens her mouth, but she doesn't say anything.

"I-I have to go, Peeta." She stands up, leaving me alone in my room.

I wonder if everything I said drove the girl on fire away from me.

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><p><strong>Reviews are very much appreciated! I'd like to know if you like it or not. Idk.<strong>

**Is a long chapter better? Or is it just boring? I wanted to add more, but I thought it might come across as boring, so yeah.**

**You can ask for me to add certain things to the story, if you want :)**

**Also, please check out my oneshots if you want, One's Clove/Cato , one's Peeta/Katniss. They're short, and I don't really know lol**


	5. Interview With The Tributes

Hey readers! Lol thank you if you're still keeping up with the story. I'm not really motivated to write, since a handful actually show that they want to read more, but whatever. Just saying thank you for staying with me:)

Special thank you to MelkiSihou, You're an absolutely amazing person :)

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><p><em>Add a line here, swirl here, add a bit of grey there.<em>

I focus on trying to match my hand to the pattern of the tree bark. The camouflage expert praises me, although it feels like it's just a simple chore for me.

"Hey." Katniss says, returning from the snares station.

I look up, and give her a slight smile. "Hey."

"How did you do that?"

"Oh. I do the cakes."

"The cakes? What cakes?" she asks, turning back to me after staring at the boy from District 2.

"At home. The iced ones, for the bakery."

"It's lovely. If only you could frost someone to death." She says condescendingly

"Who knows? Maybe this year, the arena is a giant cake." I say jokingly.

Katniss rolls her eyes. "Let's go to the next station."

We move from one station to another, picking up certain skills that could be beneficial for our survival.

The days pass, until eventually our time for our private sessions with the game makers has come.

_This will make or break you, Peeta._

I stand up and slowly walk towards the gymnasium.

"Remember what Haymitch said about being sure to throw the weights." Katniss blurts out.

That was odd. She doesn't usually care about my performance.

"Thanks. I will. You…shoot straight." I say. She nods, and I turn back and enter the gymnasium.

_Make sure they remember you.  
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><p>"Now for the tributes of District 12."<p>

_This is it._ My hands were shaking. I was so nervous. I didn't even know why I had to be nervous. I'd probably get a 4 or a 5 if I was lucky. The gamemakers were drunk and barely paid attention to me. That made my chances of getting a good score even worse.

Caesar opens his mouth.

_This is it._

"Peeta Mellark. Eight."

I let out a sigh of relief.

Wow. That was better than expected. I guess the baker's son isn't out of the games yet.

"Katniss Everdeen. Eleven."

I was dumbstruck. Eleven? That was almost impossible to get. She got a higher score than the careers. The gamemakers must have liked her temper. The girl on fire.

Everyone was congratulating Katniss and I, drinking and toasting to us.

Then it hit me. She had the biggest chance to win the Hunger Games. She was the best, she was the deadliest, and the one sponsors would want to help out. But she kept to herself, and knowing how she felt about the Capitol, she wouldn't exactly come across as the charming type to the audience.

I had to help her in any way I can. The arena was unpredictable. Most of the tributes would be out to get her. The Gamemakers would probably make her life harder in the arena after her stunt during her private session. She needed all the help she could get.

I knew exactly how to help her out, but it would mean sacrificing my time with her. Hell, she'd probably never talk to me again. But that didn't matter. All I wanted was to keep her safe, and to make sure she'd survive the games.

I knew she was going to win the games, but now the risks were higher, and I couldn't just stand there and watch while all the odds were against her.

"Haymitch? Could I talk to you for a second?"

He looks up at me, surprised. "Sure. What's on your mind?"

* * *

><p>Haymitch, Effie and I were talking when Katniss walked through the doorway.<p>

" So, what's going on? You're coaching us on interviews today, right?" She asks.

"That's right." says Haymitch. "Well, there's been a slight change of plans."

"What's that?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Peeta has asked to be coached separately."

I squirm in my seat as Katniss stares at me. She seems angry, betrayed, but she also seems disappointed. She lets out a huge sigh, and turns to Haymitch.

"So what's the schedule?"

" You'll each have four hours with Effie for presentation and four with me for content. Katniss, you start with Effie. Peeta, you're with me." Katniss groans loudly, and I nod at Haymitch.

After Katniss and Effie leave the room, Haymitch and I stay at the sitting room. He thinks for a while, then starts to speak.

"Are you sure about this Peeta?"

"Yes, Haymitch. You know Katniss. She may be the strongest tribute out there, but she can't control her feelings towards the Capitol. We need to be unforgettable in a good way. The sponsors could save our lives in the arena."

"I see. And she doesn't know a thing about this?"

"Not a thing. I don't even think she knew I existed before the reaping." I laugh dryly.

" You really like her, don't you bread boy? You are right though. Both of you need all the help you can get, her especially. Her interview could make the sponsors love or hate her. She's got as much charm as a dead slug. "

" I don't think so." I say under my breath.

" Exactly. This is going to be perfect. The audience will love you, the small-town boy with an unrequited love, and if your plan goes well, the Capitol will never forget you two."

" I just want her to make it out of the games alive. I have no chance of winning this thing. She needs to win. District 12 needs her to win."

" Wow. That girl's lucky to have you."

"I'm sure she'll survive without me."

"She could, but she can't. This interview is crucial for both of you. You could very well be the one saving her life."

We work out the things I would say for the interview, how I'd be the baker's son, just going to try his best to survive, and the boy with the unfortunate, unrequited love, which would be tragic no matter what would happen.

Eventually Katniss and I switched. I was with Effie, Katniss with Haymitch.

"That's it. Proper posture. Keep on smiling. You're absolutely charming. Peeta, I'm sure y-" Effie is suddenly cut off.

"FINE!" Katniss snarls from below.

Effie sighs. " I hope your plan works Peeta. I'm sure you could charm the audience easily. Katniss on the other hand is going to need all the help she's going to get. Let's hope the audience doesn't notice how much she hates them."

"She's charming. She just doesn't like being scripted and robotic, that's all."

"Yes, I suppose that's the case. Either way, your plan would make you both unforgettable. The sponsors would love you both." She gushes. "You two are the best tributes I've ever worked with. I'm sure either of you could make it until the end."

" I hope so too."

* * *

><p>Katniss was wearing a gown adorned with jewels. Dazzling, Stunning, Gorgeous. Words couldn't describe how she looked, like a radiant star burning in the night sky. Absolutely captivating.<p>

I, on the other hand, was wearing a dark blue suit. This was something I couldn't wear in a million years. I looked extravagant, not like someone who lived in the poorest district of Panem.

We were all standing in a line as the interviews were going on. Each tribute had an angle for their interview, glamorous and provocative, sullen and hostile, anything that could possibly help them get the attention of sponsors.

The minutes passed by quickly, and Katniss was being

urged forward by the Peacekeepers.

I was staring at the tv, which displayed the interview.

"What's impressed you most since you arrived here?" Caesar asks.

Katniss looks at the audience, dazed and confused, but then turns back to Caesar. "What?"

Caesar laughs." Looks like someone's nervous. What's impressed you most since you arrived here?"

"The lamb stew." She says, smiling.

The audience laughs. _They like her._

"It's a change from your typical dinner, am I right? Now, Katniss, when you came out in the opening ceremonies, my heart stopped. What did you think of that costume?" Caesar asks.

"I just hoped I wouldn't get burned alive." The audience laughs again.

"Those flames were really something, weren't they?"

"Yes! In fact, I'm wearing them right now, would you like to see?"

"Is it safe?" Caesar asks playfully.

"Yes it is. See?" Katniss twirls around, flames bursting out from the dress. The crowd cheers wildly, and Caesar seems absolutely captivated by her.

Caesar wraps an arm around her. "Oops, Can't have you falling down like your mentor." He helps her sit back down.

"Okay, last question. I would like to say that our hearts were with you when you volunteered for your sister during the reaping. Can you tell us about her?"

"Her name is Prim. She's just twelve, and I love her more than anything in the world." Sadness was evident in her voice.

"And what did you say to her before you came here?"

"I said I'd try to win. For her." Most of the audience was crying, and Caesar looked like he was holding back tears.

"And try you will. Katniss Everdeen everyone! The Girl on Fire!"

Some of the audience members gave her a standing ovation, but almost everyone went wild screaming and cheering for her.

Suddenly it's my turn.

"Peeta Mellark everyone!"

"Good evening, Caesar. We seem to have matching clothes." I said, smiling at him.

"It seems that way." He laughs. "So Peeta, how is life in the Capitol different from District 12?"

"Oh it's absolutely wonderful. The bread here tastes delicious, maybe even better than my family's special recipe. But don't tell my mother. Shh!" I said, jokingly. The audience laughs.

"That's a great compliment coming from a baker's son."

"The Capitol smells wonderful as well! But the showers always end up with me smelling like flowers. Tell me, do I still smell like roses?" I ask Caesar.

He laughs, and sniffs me. "Yes you do. How about me?"

I sniff him. "Well you do smell better."

"Maybe because I've lived here longer."

"That makes sense!" I said enthusiastically. The audience laughs harder, cheering wildly.

The rest of the interview goes on, asking simple questions, until the last one came. The one I've been waiting for.

"So, Peeta. Do you have a special someone back home?"

I hesitate for a while, The audience anticipating my next move. "Not really. No." I hear someone from the audience scream "_Date me instead! _" Caesar and I laugh.

"I don't believe it for a second. A handsome lad like you? There must be some special girl. What's her name?"

_This is it. _I sigh. "Well, there is this one girl that I've had a crush on ever since I can remember. But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I existed until the reaping."

The crowd murmurs, sympathetic to my story. Some even begin to cry.

"Does she have another fellow?"

"I don't know. A lot of boys like her though. Better looking, stronger boys."

"Tell you what, Peeta. You try and win this thing. You go home. She can't turn you down now." He says encouragingly.

"I don't think it's going to work out. Winning won't help in my case." I say, almost choking on my words. I wasn't acting anymore. This wasn't a ploy to get more sponsors. This was just me and my tragic story of unrequited love, and this was all real. _Not that anyone else thought it wasn't though. But Katniss didn't know that. She'd probably think this was all a lie._

"Why not?" Caesar asks, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

I blush, stumbling over my words.

"Because…because…she came here with me."

* * *

><p>Aww too much movie memories.<p>

Anyway, please leave a review? It's really disheartening when it feels like people don't like the story.

And maybe, I might just give something special if you review. You could request something idk. Just please review. Thank you :)


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